Solenoid actuated valve



Jan. 4, 1949. H. GA. wAssERLElN 2,458,123 soLENoIn-ACTUATED VALVE Filed July 15, 1946 2 Shggts-Sheet 1 Jan. l4, 1949. H. G. wAssERLElN 2,458,123

SOLENOI ACTUATED VALVE Filed July 15,1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jfezzf fassen-[ein Patented Jan. 4, 1949 SOLENOID ACTUATED VALVE Henry G. Wasserlein, Joliet, Ill., assignor to Phillips Control Corp., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 13, 1946, Serial No. 683,565

Claims. l

The present invention relates to solenoid operated valves and is particularly directed to a novel solenoid construction for obtaining valve actuation which is applicable readily to a wide variety of valve sizes, etc., and which is selflcontained.

It is the principal purpose of my invention to provide a novel solenoid construction wherein the coil is cooled by air passages provided in the magnetic parts of the solenoid, and in the shell, the passages being shielded at the top to keep out dirt and splash or drip.

Another purpose of my inventionl is to provide means whereby to increase the pull on the solenoid plunger at some distance from the plunger stop in order to obtain suflicient opening force for the plunger with less final holding force against the stop. My invention contemplates a novel arrangement of the plunger stop and a surrounding sleeve whereby the sleeve acts as a magnetic shunt to increase the flux strength beyond the plunger stop and thus provide additional pull on theplunger at a distance from the stop.

It is -a further object of my invention to provfie aneyel plunger head for engaging thestop embodying means for releasing the plunger from the stop, .when the coil is deenergized to avoid failure of the plunger to drop, due to mechanical or magnetic sticking.

The present invention is embodied in a valve operatingdevice of the packless type wherein the plunger works freely in a non-magnetic tube that is sealed to the plunger stop, this tube being open to the fluid being controlled by the valve.

The nature and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following descrip-- tion and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the description and drawings are illustrative only, and should not be considered as'limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a valve and solenoid embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view takenon the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, my invention is shown as applied to the control of a valve 9 which is positioned in a valve body 1. A mount-l ing base 8 is provided on the body 1. The valve seat I0 is removable and has a molded synthetic rubber ring II set therein for engagement by the is interposed between the seat IU and the partition I3 of the body 1. The novel features of my invention are embodied in the solenoid for controlling the valve 9. A case I4 in the form of a cup has a nipple I5 for connection to electrical conduit either flexible or rigid, through which the electrical leads (not shown) are brought in to a coil I8. At the ends of the coil I6 are coil washers I1 and I8 of magnetic material. These washers are preferably constructed by using thin laminations, so as to reduce eddy current losses. Each washer has its periphery provided with at least three notches, I9, 20 and 2l, (see Figure 3) so that air may circulate freely past the washers. The laminations of the washers also are slotted as shown at 22 to cut down eddy current.

In order to complete an air passage vertically through the case I4, I provide a series of apertures 23 (see Figure 2) in the top of the case. A cover plate 24 is supported above the openings 23 in spaced relation to the case I4 by a washer 2l. A spring 26 is interposed between washer I3 and the case I4 to keep the washers pressed against the ends of the coil I8.

A stop 21 for the solenoid plunger 28 is threaded to receive a screw 29 which clamps the cover plate 24 and the case to the stop 21.

The stop is secured in a tube 30 of non-magnetic material such as nickel silver, which has high resistivity, and consequently serves to suppress eddy current heating. The stop is fastened in the tube by grooving the stop as shown at 3|, and rolling the tube into the grooce. The tube is soldered or brazed on to the stop. The tube 30 projects below the washer I1, and has a bonnet bushing 32 brazed, soldered or otherwise secured thereon, the bushing being threaded for securing it to the valve body 1.

The plunger 28 comprises a tube of magnetic material, the lower end of which has a shoulder 33 forming a stop for a head 34 on the valve 3. In the upper end of the plunger tube 2l I provide a stop engaging assembly. This assembly comprises a plug 35 seated in the tube 23. A copper shading ring 31 is seated in the upper end o! the tube 28, and a headed sleeve 33 of magnetic material ts within the ring 21, and over the plug 35, as shown. An angular shoulder 33a is provided under the head of the sleeve 33. A shoulder 28a is provided in the tube 23. These shoulders function to swedge the copper shading ring slightly out at its top edge and inward at its bottom edge when the sleeve 33 is drawn down in the tube 2l. This construction keeps the parts tapered end of the valve 9. A copper gasket I2 55 tight to prevent any A. C. hum during the life s of the unit. The sleeve II has a spring Il therein bearing on plug II. lI'his spring is a "kick-ofi spring. It presses a small plunger 4l outwardly through an opening Il in the head of the sleeve il.' The plunger has a head l2 against which the spring Il presses. The sleeve 3l and the plug 3l are fastened together and the sleeve is drawn tightly into the tube 2l to swedge the ring 31.*as described above, by a tapered pin Il which is driven through suitable tapered apertures in the plug, sleeve and tube, and riveted tight as indicated at 4l,

An important feature of the solenoid is the provision of means to increase the effective pull on the plunger 2l when the upper end of the plunger is still spaced from the stop 21. I'his means comprises a relatively thick sleeve 45 of magnetic material. The sleeve 4B preferably is slotted to decrease eddy current loss. It extends below the end face of the stop 21 a distance approximately the distance the valve t moves between open and closed position. In actual dimensions the extension is about one-eighth inch as the drawing shows the device enlarged to twice its actual size. 'I'he sleeve Il acts as a magnetic shunt, increasing the flux strength at a point below the face of the stop 21. This effectively increases the pull on the plunger 2l when it is spaced from the stop and' the valve 9 is in valve closing position.

The sleeve Il is held in vertical position by a spacer 46. This spacer may be of any suitable non-magnetic material such as fiber or brass. Its function is to keep the sleeve 4B in place.

It is believed that the nature and advantages of my invention will be clear from the foregoing description and the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a solenoid, a cup shaped case, a coil therein, laminated washers of magnetic material at thel ends of said coil and tting the interior of said case. said washers being provided with notches in their'peripheries providing air passages, the case having'apertures in its closed end, a cover plate over the apertures and spaced therefrom, a non-magnetic sleeve extending through the coil and washers, a stop plug of magnetic material nlling the upper end cf the sleeve and sealed thereto, said case and cover being secured to said plug. and a plunger of magnetic material freely movable in said sleeve and adapted to be attracted against the-stop plug when the coil is energized.

2. In a solenoid, a cup shaped case, a coil therein, laminated washers of magnetic material at the ends of said coil and tting the interior of said case, said washers being provided with notches in their peripheries providing air passages, the case having apertures in its closed end,

als

a'cover plate over the apertures and spaced therefrom. a non-magnetic sleeve extending through the coil and washers, a bushing on the lower end of the sleeve, a spring between the closed end of the case and the upper washer pressing the coil and washers toward said bushing, a stop plug of magnetic material filling the upper end of the sleeve and sealed thereto, said case and cover being secured to said plug, and a plunger of magnetic material freely movable in said sleeve and adapted to be attracted against the stop plug when the coil is energized.

3. In a solenoid, a plunger, a guide tube for said plunger, and a plunger stop at one end of the tube, said plunger having a tubular end facing said stop, a plug extending into said tubular end and having a head thereon for engaging the stop, opposed tapered shoulders on said head and in the tubular end of said plunger, a shading ring surrounding the plug and wedged between the. tapered shoulders, and means holding the plug in the tubular end of the plunger and wedg'ing the shading ring between said shoulders.

4. In a solenoid, a cup shaped cas'e, a coil therein, washers of magnetic material at the ends of said coil and fitting the interior of said case, said washers having notches in their peripheries, the'case having apertures in its closed end, a cover plate over the apertures and spaced therefrom, a non-magnetic sleeve extending through the coil and washers, a stop plug sealing .the upper end of the sleeve, said case and cover being secured to said plug, and a plunger of magnetic material freely movable in said sleeve and adapted to be attracted against the stop plug when the eoilisenergized. i

5. In a solenoid, a'plunger. a guide tube for said plunger, and a plunger stop in one end of the tube, said plunger having a tubular end facing said stop, a plug extending into said tubular end 'and having a head thereon for engaging the stop, said plug being hollow with an opening through the head to the stop engaging face thereof, a headed kick-off pin in the plug extending through said opening, a spring in the plug urging the kick-off pin outward, and means securing the spring in place in said plug.

HENRY G. WASSERLEIN REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: f

UNITED STATES PATENTS I Number Name Date 2,279,243 Parsons Apr. 7, 1942 2,297,626 Lennholm et al. Sept. 29, 1942 2,343,806 Scoeld Mar. 7, 1944 

